The present invention relates to exercise equipment known as lateral movement trainers (LMTs), and more particularly to a bumper attachment assembly for LMTs.
An LMT allows a user to exercise certain muscles by simulating the movements of a speed skater. It is known in the exercise-equipment field to construct an LMT with a smooth elongate slideboard that includes a bumper attached to each end. The user pushes off from a first bumper using a sideways leg motion, and slides to a second bumper at the opposite end of the slideboard. The user then pushes off from that other bumper and slides back to the first bumper. This back-and-forth movement is repeated to exercise the glutei and adductor muscles, as well as the quadriceps and hamstrings.
It is also known to make flexible, portable LMTs in which the LMT is constructed with a flexible slideboard that has a block-shaped bumper attached at each end. The flexible slideboard allows the LMT to be rolled into a relatively small, tubular shape for transporting it. Each bumper of the LMT is attached to the slideboard by sandwiching the latter between a metal pressure plate and the flat bottom of the bumper.
When the LMT is unrolled for use, the flat bottom of the bumper lies in a plane parallel to the flattened bottom surface of the slideboard. To properly use the bumpers during training, the desired positioning of each is with their inner surface normal to a plane containing the slideboard.
However, after extended use of such a conventional LMT, the bumpers and slideboard do not remain in their desired orientation, i.e. the inner surface of each bumper becomes canted outwardly. This is a problem because without the inner surface of the bumper normal to the slideboard the athlete cannot properly push off from the bumper to begin sliding back to the opposing bumper. The canted position occurs because the force exerted on the bumpers by the athlete during training cause the slideboard to flex upwardly underneath the bumpers. This flexing causes the bumper to rock outwardly and rest on its outer edge. The result is that the inner surface of the bumper is oriented at an angle greater than 90.degree. with respect to the slideboard. In addition, the section of the slideboard that is adjacent and inner of the bumper flexs upwardly. This is bothersome for the user, and also substantially reduces, if not negates, the utility of the LMT.
A second problem with such a conventional LMT occurs when it is used on wood floors, which is common because LMTs are frequently used on parquet and other wood floors at health clubs during aerobics classes. When the athlete trains on the LMT, the bottom outer surfaces of the device put nicks and scratches in the floor because the metal pressure plate under each bumper is in direct contact with the floor. As noted above, the pressure plate is positioned below the bottom surface of each bumper and is used in attaching the bumper to the slideboard. Screws are driven through holes in the plate and slideboard, and into the bumper.
Others have proposed flexible slideboards with a complex arrangement of wedges and weights positioned adjacent each bumper like the slideboard shown in Carra, U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,226. Carra's slideboard does not overcome the above-identified problems and introduces a new one, i.e. the slideboard curls up at one end when one bumper is adjusted to a desired position. An outer weight must be used to prevent the curling from happening.
Nowhere in the prior art is there shown or suggested to construct a portable LMT with bumpers that remain in their desired position normal to the slideboard when the LMT is unrolled for use. Further, there are no conventional proposals for constructing bumper attachment assemblies for LMTs that do not nick and scratch wood or other floors during use.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a bumper attachment assembly for LMTs that overcomes the drawbacks of prior art assemblies.
Another object is to provide such a bumper attachment assembly that tends to maintain the inner surface of each bumper in the desired position normal to the slideboard.
A still further object is to provide such a bumper attachment assembly that does not adversely affect wood or other floors when the LMT is used.
Another object is to provide a portable LMT that is attractive in appearance.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a portable LMT that is durable.
Another object is to provide such a bumper attachment assembly that can be manufactured easily and cost-effectively.